Courtship Blues
by Wolfye P
Summary: Sesshoumaru is a rich young billionaire acting in his brother's hit television series. He develops a crush on Kagome, the lead heroine of the show, but she's got a thing for his brother. What's a rich young billionaire to do? [Sess:Kag:Inu] [AU]
1. Part 01

**Courtship Blues**   
An alternate fanwork by Wolfye Productions. 

_I'll just make it plain and simple: I don't own any of the below characters. I just put them in weird situations. grin Akito Souma from "Fruits Basket" makes an appearance in this fic._   
**WARNING: This fic is lime-scented.** Proceed at your own risk. 

- † -

**Part 01:**

A young man sat elegantly draped over the back of a chair in front of an outdoor cafe, idly sipping away at a cup of tea. His golden eyes gazed ahead of him, seeing nothing, It was Saturday, mid-morning, and he didn't have to work today. He was relishing his much-needed time away from the studio. 

His mind was drawn blank in an effort not to think of anything on his only day off in the week. It was so hard sometimes to find such peaceful tranquility in his busy life. Tomorrow, they would be filming the next episode in the InuYasha series, and he needed some time away to just be himself. 

Sesshoumaru's lips upturned into a rueful smile that was filled in irony. He was the eldest of the two brothers, and had inherited their father's wealthy estate, but it was his younger half-brother who had succeeded in getting his own television show. How silly this world was. He guessed that he should be grateful for his inheritance, but there was always something else he wanted, something more in the way of either power or prestige. Why couldn't he be content with what he had? 

Hmph, it seemed as though his younger brother always got the better end of the stick. His thoughts now traversed unwillingly to the image of Kikyou. Now there was a fine-looking woman, and she played his girlfriend both in and out of the show. How ironic that was too. It seemed as though InuYasha fashioned the entire television show after his own pathetic life, but with a feudal twist to it. At least he got to make cameo appearances every now and then, representing himself truthfully without the blunders of some other pathetic actor "trying to make it right". Besides, no one else could hope to look as gorgeous as he was, so there could have been no one who would have been able to take his place anyway. He thought of it as a kind gesture to all of his weeping fans. They needed beautiful things in their lives. 

Taking another sip of tea, he idly realized that he had let his thoughts roam again. So much for self-control. 

A lanky figure dressed in all black plopped down into the chair next to him, and he didn't need to look up to know who it was. There was only one person he associated with who seemed to think the colour black was a fashion statement of some sort. He frowned his disapproval. 

"Aki, could you not have found something more suitable to wear in my presence?" 

A small chuckle escaped the lips of Akito Souma as he flagged the waitress down. Sesshoumaru always asked the same damn question everytime they met up with each other. Ignoring the other's question for the moment, he quickly ordered an iced cappuccino with no whip cream. Giving the retreating waitress an appreciative glance at her backside, Akito turned to his friend, a smile on his lips. 

"Nice to see you too," he said casually, not even bothering to answer the question. The conversation would always end the same regardless of whether he retaliated or not, with him attempting to convince the young billionaire of the benefits of the colour black, but it never worked. Sesshoumaru, he was convinced, was a man of bright, solid colours. Especially those that represented nobility, like purples, blues and reds. He eyed his friend's outfit - white designer slacks with a white silk collared shirt. The outfit really highlighted the guy's golden eyes, he had to admit, and brought out some strange luminescent sheen to his long silver hair. Sesshoumaru especially enjoyed the colour white. Perhaps, this was why they were friends. Black and white go hand in hand. 

"How is your show coming along?" Sesshoumaru suddenly asked, breaking Akito's scrutiny of his person. He still didn't bother to look at the other man. 

Akito shrugged nonchalantly. "It's okay. We just finished the scene with me and the doctor. That was kinda fun; I got to throw a vase." 

Sesshoumaru snorted. "I'll never understand your antics," he said, turning finally to fix his friend with his piercing gaze, which failed as the other man was in the process of checking another female out. "Nor your taste in women," he added as an afterthought. He took another sip of his tea. 

Akito turned and looked his friend in the eye, a twinkle lighting his dark grey depths. A mischievous grin adorned his thin lips. "Speaking of hot chics," he said, leaning a little closer to Sesshoumaru, "How're things going between you and that Kagome chic?" 

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes and groaned. His friend had a very high libido and was constantly in the realm of sex and women, which sometimes made conversing with him highly aggravating. He, himself, was not motivated by such things. 

"I do not see her as you do," he reminded his hormone-driven friend. If he didn't know any better, he could have sworn he could hear the rusty gears turning in the guy's head. He knew he had a thing for Kagome, but he wasn't going to let him near her, no matter how good of friends they were. 

"But I believe progress is being made," he continued, happily noting the look of disappointment and loss clouding his friend's vision. "I was thinking of asking her out later this week." 

Akito gasped. "You mean you haven't even asked her out yet?" The guy's been working with the sexy vixen for over three months now and still hasn't gotten over his setbacks to ask her out. This was unbelievable! He let go the laughter that had built up in his chest, much to the dismay of the pretty boy sitting next to him. 

"I didn't realize I had asked for your opinion on this matter," Sesshoumaru huffed sarcastically. Really, it was hard for him to approach Kagome. She seemed to have googly eyes for his idiot brother, which he couldn't understand since he and Kikyou were publicly engaged. Maybe she liked taken men, he thought despairingly. If that was the case, then he'd have no chance in hell with her. He sighed inwardly, now depressed over his situation. 

The slight slump of his shoulders didn't go unnoticed, unfortunately, as he felt an unwanted hand patting him reassuringly on the back. 

"Buck up, Sesshy," Akito said, "You're like the richest and second most good-looking guy in Tokyo! She'll fall in love with you yet." 

Why did he ever bother telling his friend about his relationship problems in the first place? Then it occurred to him what Akito had just said. With a grand flip of his luxurious locks, he stabbed his friend with a steamy look and a sexy grin. In the background, he heard the sounds of several females gasping in adoration and want, which puffed up his already huge ego even more. 

"You are mistaken, yet again Aki," he replied. "You mean THE most good-looking man in Tokyo." He raised his nose in the air in a snooty posture. "Everyone knows that I am much more handsome than you are." 

Akito snorted and rolled his eyes. "Oh please. Everyone knows that it was my good looks that rubbed off on you." As though to back-up his righteous claim, several females cooed their appreciation from around them. 

The two locked up in a death glare, each vying for the glorious title of the best-looking man in the city. The fight lasted nearly ten whole minutes before a clearing of someone's throat interrupted them. 

Blinking, they both looked up to see InuYasha hovering above them, a scantily-clad Kikyou draped across his arm. 

"Are you two at it again?" InuYasha asked, his eyes rolling in disbelief. Whenever these two got together, even since they were little kids, they always managed to get into a fight over who was the prettier one. Gods, didn't they have anything better to do with their time? 

Akito allowed his smoky eyes to fall from InuYasha's disapproving gaze and over the sensuous figure of his fiancee. Kikyou gave him a little smile when she noticed, arching her body a little more into InuYasha in a way that made her breasts and her bottom stick out just a little bit more for appreciation. Akito smiled, thoughts of his tongue sliding over her hot steamy body filling his brain. He imagined her writhing body beneath him, screaming his name as he - 

Sesshoumaru noticed the look in his friend's eyes and groaned inwardly. That horny bastard. You'd think with all the times the guy got laid, he'd be bored with it by now. Apparently not. His eyes shifted to look at Kikyou, whom he noted was leading the man on with her looks and body language. He sighed. That woman was no good for his brother, but if that's who he wanted in life, then so be it. At least they no longer lived in the same house anymore, so he no longer had to be subjected to the sounds of their nightly sessions together. 

"What is it, brother?" he asked, careful to hide his displeasure from his voice. 

InuYasha looked at his older brother for a few seconds, as though contemplating something, then reached into his jacket and pulled out a bundle of papers. 

"Just came by to give you the script for the next episode," he said, not even noticing the interaction between his fiancee and his brother's friend. "We're gonna start filming at six tomorrow morning. Make sure you're there on-time," he added gruffly. 

"Am I not always?" Sesshoumaru stated more than asked. 

"Hmph," his brother replied, then turned and left, dragging an over-sexed Kikyou with him. 

Sesshoumaru allowed himself a sigh of relief. He always found it difficult interacting with his brother. Despite sharing the same physical attributes bestowed on them by their father, the two were on completely separate planes of existence. There was little his brother did that he could relate to, and he suspected the same was for InuYasha regarding himself. 

"Gods, she's got a hot body." 

Akito's comment shook him out of his thoughts. Idly, he wondered how his childhood friend ever managed to play out his character in the show he was doing. He had read the script Akito had gotten from his agent. The guy was in no way near in personality as the character was supposed to be. But then, he had always heard that the best actors were the ones who could play convincing roles completely opposite of their natural character. Frankly, he was glad that InuYasha allowed him to play himself in the show; he couldn't imagine how he'd be able to play any other type of personality. 

"May I remind you that she is engaged to my idiot brother." 

Akito blinked, his mind reeling from the images that had just occupied his mind. He could feel he was hard already. Damn, he needed to find someone quick before this went to waste. 

"That doesn't mean that I can't offer my appreciation when it's wanted," he remarked casually, eyes scanning the crowd before him as he hurried and downed his cappuccino. His probing eyes finally picked out a young vixen, probably in her early twenties, out shopping by her lonesome. Her eyes met his steamy one, and a blush crept over her porcelain cheeks, but she didn't look away. Bingo! 

Tossing a few hundred yen on the table to pay for his drink, he discretely adjusted himself in his pants before getting up. He turned to his friend, who was once again rolling his eyes at him. 

"See ya later, and good luck with Kagome, eh?" he grinned lecherously, winking at him. Then he turned and was gone. 

Sesshoumaru sighed audibly, swirling the remaining bits of tea in his cup. He watched the tea leaves dance about the bottom of the cup, wondering what they were saying about his future. He wished he had his friend's confidence in women. He made it seem so easy to get them to consent to a date and more. Oh, he, himself, had gone out on dates before, but the girls had never really interested him. They had been more like mindless babble that would do anything to sleep with him. Afterwards, he had always felt himself wanting more, much more than those girls could ever possibly give him. He never bothered calling those girls back. 

His mind wandered, bringing visions of his crush to him unbidden. Her intelligent eyes that always flashed with so much humour... Her thick, glossy midnight tresses that framed her pale face so lovingly, making her eyes stand out just that much more against the rest of her features... Her full, pouty mouth that always seemed to beg to be kissed and lavished over... Her luscious curves that enticed all men to take second and third more-than-appreciative glances back at her... 

Oops, he thought, feeling himself go tense with the string of images his mind was conjuring. Stop it, he told himself, willing his body to relax. Not in public; that would be embarrassing. Quickly he gulped the rest of his tea down. Standing gracefully from his chair, he tossed a few hundred yen on the table and got into his car. Making up his mind to spend the rest of the day at home, he turned the car on and began the trip back, his mind overflowing with questions on how to ask his crush out on a date.

* * *

**A/N:**   
Well, I had started this fic with the intention of keeping it as a comical one-shot to humour myself with while I took a break from composing _I Will Find You Again_. It looks like it got out of control. Now I have this cute little plot going in my head and want to continue it. Maybe I'll make it into a mini-series; who knows? All I had originally wanted to do was to make a scene of Sesshy and Akito fighting over who was cuter than the other. sigh I'm a sucker for the gorgeous tragic villains in anime. 

Well, let's see what you guys think first before I decide if I want to continue this or not. Reviews are extremely welcome and appreciated! 


	2. Part 02

**Courtship Blues**   
An alternate fanwork by Wolfye Productions. 

_Thank you to all the people who reviewed me, and in less than 48 hours! That's the most reviews I've gotten for my other 2 fics combined! Wow, I'm completely blown away. So, due to popular request, I am continuing this fic; I do hope you enjoy the plot development. I'd also like to take the time to thank my sister, who gave me a great idea to insert into this story to make things a bit more intriguing for the audience. Sit back and enjoy!_

_By the way, just for some clarification on appearances: Sesshoumaru doesn't naturally sport the markings you see in the show (they have to paint them on during make-up), and his ears are normal looking (another trick he has to go through everyday). Oh yeah, and he doesn't have the fluffy pelt either, but I'm guessing you figured that part out already. :grin: And InuYasha's ears are normal human ones (they have to hide his normal ears with his hair and put on a headband with robotic doggy ears in make-up). But they both naturally have the silver locks and golden eyes that make their family distinct in the social circles. I am trying to be as "real world" as possible while maintaining my eccentricism._

_Hm, I just found out that in the manga, it's revealed that Akito isn't what he's supposed to be. (I'm not spoiling it for people) For the sake of this fanfic, I'm keeping him as what he appears to be in the anime, so please bear with me for those of you who are hard-core fans. I do most of my research for my fics through the anime episodes. And yes, I do do research before I write anything._

I don't own any of the characters that you're familiar with, but the ones you don't know are mine (wahaha...). Thanks for reading! **WARNING: This fic is lime-scented.** Proceed at your own risk. 

- † -

**Part 02:**

Sesshoumaru stepped forth from the cramped confines of his trailer, ecstatic to finally be rid of his cumbersome costume. The armor alone weighed more than fifty pounds, not to mention all the layers of kimonos and that huge fluffy pelt he was made to wear in addition to that. He rotated his aching shoulders in their sockets, wincing a little at how stiff and sore his muscles were. The week had been an extremely stressful one, consisting primarily of several battle scenes between him and his brother. Now all he wanted to do was to go home and immerse himself in his hot tub for the next two days. 

The melodic sounds of laughter drifted across the expanse of the studio lot, drawing his attention to its source. It wasn't difficult for his sharp eyes to discern her distinct figure from amongst the crowd. She stood with her profile to him, not fifty meters from where he stood, chatting amiably with his brother. 

She was laughing again, the joyous sounds beckoning to him from across the lot, and the urge to be near her suddenly overwhelmed him. He felt his feet move of their own accord, bringing him ever nearer to her side. His heart fluttered in his chest, as if he were a little school boy again, silently awkward around his high school crush. He wanted to know what it was that made her laugh so easily, so freely; as if she hadn't a care in the world. And he wondered, with no small amount of fascination, if he, himself, had the power to produce such delightful sounds from her delicate throat. 

Suddenly, more than anything else in the world, he wanted her to smile for him. 

If the heavens had heard his one wish, then they gave him the mercy of granting it, as she turned towards his approaching figure, her soft sultry lips pulled back in a heartbreaking smile. And in that one moment, that one infinitesimal moment, the rising sun behind her washing her frame in an ethereal glow, she became a merciful angel sent from the heavens above to ease the torment in his inner heart. She was smiling for him, and only him. 

His heart beat faster as he gazed upon her magnificent form. If he were to die now, that heavenly vision would be the last thing he would ever want to see. 

And yet, through it all, through all of his chest flutterings and swelling emotions, his face remained as calm and composed as ever, betraying his current state of inner turmoil to no one. Such was the degree of his self-control. 

"Sesshoumaru," his angel breathed as he drew up next to them, the sound of her voice akin to the clear ringing of thousands of tiny silver bells on a cozy winter night. Her brilliant brown eyes held an amused laughter in them, and Sesshoumaru found himself believing that he could easily lose himself in their mysterious depths. 

"How are you feeling?" Kagome asked, concern clouding her vision. Concern? he wondered. Is she concerned for me? "You guys went at it pretty hard today," she continued, her eyes flickering over to InuYasha's form for a brief second before returning to his heated gaze. 

He studied her beautiful face a moment longer before answering, watching curiously as a faint tint coloured her porcelain cheeks. Did I do that? he wondered with no small amount of awe. It was then that he realized he had been staring at her, and he quickly cleared his throat. 

"I am not feeling unwell, thank you," he replied in his ever-elegant manner, allowing a rare smile to touch his lips. He could have sworn the blush on her cheeks darkened just a hair's breadth, but perhaps it was merely a trick in the growing light of the day. 

"Hmph, are you kidding?" InuYasha spoke up, his reckless voice shattering the magic moment into a thousand pieces. Sesshoumaru grimaced a little at the intrusive comment, while Kagome suddenly found the ground a lot more interesting. "Sesshoumaru's got the hardest head I know," InuYasha continued, a mocking grin plastered across his face, as if in attempt to goad his older brother into yet another fight. 

The smile now gone from his face as though it had never existed, Sesshoumaru turned to stab the full weight of his irritated glare on his younger brother, who suddenly faltered in his amusement, as though Sesshoumaru had just thrown a bucket of ice water on him. 

As he continued to glare silently at his idiot brother in an attempt to make him squirm, which appeared to be succeeding, he idly heard Kagome's short intake of breath, and subsequent soft chastisement of InuYasha for "being so mean" to his brother. InuYasha snorted a dismissing "whatever" at her, uncomfortably shifting beneath the onslaught of his brother's oppressive gaze. 

A small fit of anger swelled within him as he watched the small exchange between his brother and the woman of his choice, and he fought hard to keep his emotions in check. Not in front of her, he told himself quickly, willing himself to calm down. 

"InuYasha." 

The sounds of a husky female voice broke through the uncomfortable silence, and the group turned to see Kikyou walking up to them, her rounded hips swaying seductively in a black mini-skirt. She wrapped her long arms around InuYasha's, pressing her ample breasts into him as she placed a loving peck on his cheek. 

"Kikyou," InuYasha mumbled by way of greeting, his temper suddenly sated by her mere presence. 

"It's time to go," she informed him softly, pulling gently on his arm towards the general direction of the car. InuYasha nodded his head at her, a soft look in his eyes. He quickly mumbled his goodbyes and turned to leave. 

"InuYasha." 

This time, the voice was much deeper, its tone both rich and commanding at the same time. All eyes turned to Sesshoumaru, whose face no longer held any of the malice it had a scant moment ago. 

"Do not forget the Akigawa benefit tomorrow night," he said before InuYasha could ask what he wanted. He paused a moment, allowing for the memory to filter through his brother's slow brain. "And please," he continued, pointedly glaring at Kikyou's barely covered form, "remember to dress appropriately." 

The infuriating woman merely smiled coyly back at him, batting her eyes at him in a manner she most likely thought was sexy. She was obviously mistaken. Instead, it had the complete opposite effect on him, and his lips curled in disgust. 

"Hmph," was all InuYasha said before finally leaving, pulling the ridiculously-looking Kikyou along behind him. 

Sesshoumaru watched the two of them leave, his mind filled with troubles over the woman his brother was choosing to marry. There was simply something... wrong about her. 

"Slut," he heard Kagome mumble under her breath. If his ears hadn't been as sharp as they were, he would have missed it. 

Sesshoumaru turned and looked at her, noticing with a small measure of annoyance at the look of longing that clouded her usually bright eyes, as she watched the two departing figures. 

"I agree," he said suddenly, startling himself by saying it out loud. 

He watched her as she blinked, then turned to look at him, her beautiful face etched in a look of surprise. Obviously, he thought to himself with some amusement, she had not thought anyone had heard her. 

Her eyes studied his for a long moment, as though searching for something that only his eyes could answer. Then, to his surprise, she took a step towards him, her eyes narrowing the tiniest fraction of an inch. 

The sweet scent of her perfume suddenly hit him like a mack truck, overwhelming his sensitive nose as he inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with her intoxicating presence. He could feel the tightly wound edges of his mind slowly begin to unravel with each breath of her he took, and his hard-won control almost slipped in that single moment. Almost. 

Her voice snapped him unwillingly from his inebriated trance, and his golden eyes slowly refocused on her exquisite face, her eyes brimming with some unnameable emotion. 

"If that's what you think," she bit out through clenched teeth, eyes accusing him of a terrible wrong, "then why do you let him go out with her?" 

He idly noticed that her hands were clenched at her sides, and her face was flushed, although this time not in embarrassment. He suddenly felt very tired, as if his entire body had been drained of its last remaining source of energy. He sighed heavily, slowly bringing a hand up and rubbed the bridge of his nose. 

"That woman," he admitted softly, so softly that one had to strain in order to hear him, "despite however I may feel about her, has been the only thing that has been able to make my brother happy since the passing of his mother. It has not been my wish to deny him of that." 

He suddenly felt warm fingers wrap around his arm, as they gently tugged down on him. He let his hand drop, his sombre eyes glancing up to find her looking at him, her delicate brow slightly creased with concern, sympathy; whether it was for him or his brother, he didn't know. 

But it wasn't really that important for him to know right now, was it? he asked himself. No, something deep inside of him said, not right now it wasn't. He was dimly aware that her hand was still on his arm, and he could feel the heat radiating from her gentle touch, warming him beneath his skin. 

And then the angel was smiling at him, warm and gentle and serene. His heart skipped in his chest, and he dared not look away lest she might vanish, and he would once again be left all alone. 

"Are you hungry?" she asked, her soft voice like music to his hungry ears. Not trusting himself to speak, he instead nodded his head in affirmation, the movement barely perceptible. 

"Great!" she exclaimed, her smile broadening. "I know just the place, too!" 

He felt her hand glide smoothly down the length of his arm, and before his brain could really register what was going on, her slender fingers had already wrapped around his and she was pulling him in the direction of her car. 

Sesshoumaru stared in utter fascination at the hand nestled so innocently within his grasp. Her hand was so tiny compared to his own, and he suddenly realized how fragile she really was, despite her larger-than-life personality. The thought made him want to throw his arms around her to shield her from all the atrocities of life, to protect her; but he fought down the urge to do so, instead simply accepting the warm touch of her hand to be enough. 

The clearing of a throat behind them made them turn around. Standing off to the side a few feet away was a young man, probably somewhere in his early twenties, dressed in a black suit and matching sunglasses. Damn, Sesshoumaru thought, he had forgotten all about Haru, his driver. He felt Kagome's hand drop awkwardly from his, and he frowned slightly, feeling the loss of warmth keenly. 

"Sir?" Haru inquired, bowing low. "Shall I wait here for you?" 

Hm, Sesshoumaru thought, that sounds like a good idea. But before he could open his mouth to reply, Kagome abruptly cut him off. 

"Oh, that's alright Haru," she said, smiling sweetly at the other man. "I can take him home." 

To say Sesshoumaru was shocked would be an understatement. How presumptive of her to answer in his stead, and without first consulting his personage. And how in the world did she know the name of his driver? Not to mention the ease with which she spoke to him. He felt the expectant eyes of his driver on him, and he quickly regained his composure. 

"That will be fine," he nodded to Haru, who once again bowed before turning and leaving. Before he could contemplate what had just happened, he felt an insistent tug on his arm again, and felt himself automatically falling into step beside Kagome. By the time they had reached the car, his curiosity finally got the better of him. 

"How is it you know of my driver?" he asked as he held the driver side door open for her. 

"Hm?" she said, sliding easily inside the comfy interior. "Oh, I went to high school with him," she answered cheerfully, smiling up at him. 

"I see," he replied, shutting the door before getting in on the passenger side. Perhaps he would speak to Haru about her when he got home. 

"Yeah," Kagome continued as she started up the car and pulled out of the studio lot. "I was really surprised when I saw him here when we first started shooting. How long has he been working for you, anyway?" 

Sesshoumaru marvelled at the ease with which she talked. He, himself, had never been very good at the art of conversation, instead preferring as a child the peace that solitude brought. He suddenly found himself in unknown territory, unsure of what his actions should be. He decided the direct approach was probably the best one. 

He tilted his head to the side a little, his long silver locks falling like silk against his shoulder. 

"About two years now," he answered her. 

"Wow," Kagome breathed, "After graduation then." 

He wasn't sure if Kagome was speaking to him or not, so he simply nodded in case she was. How would he know when they had graduated? 

She pulled into a parking stall and turned the car off, then turned to look at him with a bright smile. "We're here!" she exclaimed. 

Sesshoumaru peered out the windshield at the row of stores lining the sidewalk. In front of them was the outdoor cafe he enjoyed spending his Saturday mornings at. He blinked, a bit surprised. Did she come here too? If so, why had he never seen her there before? 

He quietly exited the car and came around to her side, opening the door for her once again. He held his hand out expectantly. She did not disappoint him, as her small hand slipped perfectly into his as she stepped forth from the vehicle. 

"Do you come here often?" he asked, wincing a little at the cheesiness of the question. She apparently didn't notice his slight. 

Kagome nodded, her luxurious hair falling forward to frame her face with the action. His fingers itched, wanting to run themselves through the thick locks to tuck them behind her ear. 

"Yeah, I come here a whole lot," she said, making her way to one of the tables outside. He quickly followed her and pulled her chair out for her. Seating himself across from her at the table, he raised his hand to flag down the waitress. 

"I like coming here with my mother," Kagome continued. "I love the setting of this place; it's seems so peaceful, especially after a hard day's work." 

Sesshoumaru nodded his agreement. So, she likes to come here too, huh? Perhaps he should hang around the cafe more often in hopes of catching her. 

"I, too, enjoy the serenity of this place," he told her, a slight smile on his lips. "It is unlike many of the other cafes in this city. There are usually too many people at the other places to suit my liking." 

Kagome giggled at his statement, and he frowned a bit. "What is so funny?" he asked, slightly perturbed. He honestly couldn't see what in the world could be so funny. While he waited for her to catch her breath, he tried flagging down the waitress again. 

After about a minute, Kagome finally calmed down from her mysterious hysteria, although a humoured grin still graced her full lips. 

"What was so funny?" he tried again, this time steeling himself for her reaction. This time, she didn't burst out laughing. 

"I just think it's cute the way you talk," she replied, her eyes looking away to search for the waitress. 

Cute? Did she just say she thought I was cute? His heart almost stopped beating. How...? Why...? A thousand and one questions flooded through his mind, but before he could ask any of them, the waitress finally appeared and took their orders. 

When she was gone, he eyed Kagome carefully. She was looking away from him, but there was no hint of sarcasm in her posture, or in her eyes. Did she really mean what she said? Of course he knew that he was the gods' gift to women, but he had never thought in a million years that the woman he yearned for would also be so inclined. After all, she had previously seemed to only enjoy the rag-tag looks of his younger brother. If what she said was true, then perhaps asking her out wouldn't be so hard to do after all. Dare he try? 

"What amuses you about the way I talk?" he asked softly, drawing her gaze to his. Her eyes still shimmered with an amused light. 

Kagome shrugged her shoulders at him. "You don't speak like a normal guy," she explained, albeit a bit confusing for himself to comprehend. 

"Is that bad?" he inquired, feeling a bit put off by her sudden mysticism. 

Kagome stared at him for a minute, as if contemplating something, then slightly shook her head. "No, it's just... different," she said. "It's nice to not hear a guy talk stupid for once." 

Sesshoumaru gazed back at her, searching for something in her eyes that would help him understand what she was trying to say. If it wasn't bad, then it had to be good, right? Did she like it, or did she really find it annoying and didn't have the heart to tell him the truth? But as he stared back at her, he could find no trace of falseness in her visage. 

Sesshoumaru cleared his throat. It was now or never. He swallowed hard, trying to push down the lump that seemed to have gotten wedged in his throat. 

"If you are so inclined," he started, his eyes shyly looking away from her, "I would be honoured if you would accompany myself to the benefit tomorrow night." He was vaguely aware that he was blushing. 

"I'd love to," Kagome replied. 

His eyes widened a fraction, his heart beating faster in his chest. She had said yes. This was not a dream, was it? Do something, he thought to himself. Pinch yourself. His hand clenched in his lap, his nails biting into the palm of his hand. Nope, he thought to himself as he felt the pain jolt up his arm, he was definitely not dreaming. He dared himself to look up at her. 

She was smiling at him again, and he felt his own lips twitch in response. Their food finally came at that moment, and the two began eating in companionable silence.

* * *

**A/N:**   
Geez, I thought this chapter would never end! Thank you to everyone for supporting me with this endeavor. I've decided to make this fic a very Sesshoumaru-centric one, since there seems not to be a lot of them out there. In fact, I want to make it so that we never know what's going on with Kagome, making her the mysterious character for once. It's a daunting task, but I think I'm up to the challenge. 

So, let me know what you all think. I'm going to try and update once a week. See you in the next chapter! 


	3. Part 03

**Courtship Blues**   
An alternate fanwork by Wolfye Productions. 

_Thank you once again for all those who took their time to review my story. I really appreciate hearing if people enjoy my writings, and it does push me to try to come up with something good to keep you on your toes. _

This particular chapter is basically filler material, giving you some insight on what their estate is like, and also some background information. 

I don't own any of the characters that you're familiar with, but the ones you don't know are mine (wahaha...). Thanks for reading! 

- † -

**Part 03:**

Kagome pulled her luxury sedan up to the front gates of Sesshoumaru's extensive property, her jaw agape at the sheer size of it. Sesshoumaru watched her, slightly amused at her reaction, idly wondering if she was going to start drooling if she didn't shut her mouth soon. 

"You actually live here?" she asked, her voice full of wonder and awe, as her eyes attempted to take in everything. Of course, they were merely at the front of the property, and he knew that despite what she could see now, it wasn't really even a fraction of his entire estate. 

"Yes," he simply replied. 

Next to the large wrought iron gates was a large kiosk, and an armed guard stepped forth from within the structure. The guard walked the short distance to the car and bent down to look inside. He immediately bowed his head in deference upon seeing Sesshoumaru. 

"Good morning, Sir," the man said. 

Sesshoumaru simply inclined his head slightly, not bothering to reply back. The guard stood back up and motioned to someone inside the kiosk. The gates immediately opened, and Kagome drove through and into the estate grounds. 

They travelled at a moderate pace down the long driveway, Kagome continuously glancing left and right at the spectacular scenery passing them by. Frequently she would express her appreciation as she looked around, and his chest puffed up proudly at each of her comments. His angel approved. 

It truly was a beautiful sight to behold, he had to admit. On either side of the incredibly long driveway stood identical rows of stately sakura trees, the pink and white blossoms in full bloom above them. Flanking their opposite sides were finely manicured lawns, stretching as far as the eye could see. The vivid greens were randomly interspersed with gently sloping hills, small and large volcanic boulders, and small tributaries that ran off a much larger creek located in the middle of the property. Well-cared-for roads branched out from the main one, seemingly going nowhere across the huge expanse of land. 

The main driveway stretched for approximately half of a mile from the front gates when it finally reached the base of a much larger slope than the others scattered across the estate grounds, and the road turned up to gently climb the front of it. 

"You guys sure make a lot acting," Kagome said softly, glancing over at him, her eyes wide. 

Sesshoumaru chuckled at her statement; obviously, she'd never read any business periodicals. "Actually," he said, "InuYasha and I do not make anything through acting." 

Disbelief and confusion clouded her vision and creased her brow. "You're kidding," she breathed, "Then how..." Her voice faded, but her question was clear. 

Sesshoumaru turned his attention back to the road ahead. They were almost to the main house. 

"Our father owned several large and highly profitable investment firms, located both here in Japan and abroad. I now own them, and InuYasha holds stock in all of them," he explained, noticing with his acute peripheral vision that her eyes widened even further, if that was at all possible. Apparently it was. 

"Several?" she asked. 

Sesshoumaru nodded. "As of this moment, I own a total of twenty-six firms located in over fifteen different countries. My company is currently in the process of acquiring another." 

He turned his head back to her, studying her pristine features as she concentrated on both the road and his words. A slight frown tugged at her lips, and he could almost hear the question echoing through her mind. 

"InuYasha personally funds the television show with his own money," he quietly explained. "We do not divide the show's profits amongst ourselves." 

Kagome slowed the car to a gentle stop right before the crest of the hill. He stared at her; obviously she hadn't been aware of any of this, despite the fact that he and his brother were constantly on the cover of various magazines on a quarterly basis. He, himself, was considered to be THE most eligible bachelor in Japan by Beauty Magazine, and as many of his loyal fans loved to protest, the entire world. InuYasha used to be second until he got engaged to Kikyou just this past year. Perhaps his angel didn't like to read magazines, or watch CNN, which would readily explain why she was ignorant of their social status. 

"So, why don't you?" she asked, looking at him with a strange look on her face, perhaps disbelieving his words. He knew she was aware of how successful and profitable the show was, so she was probably wondering why they would decline so much money. 

"We have no need for it," he stated simply. 

Kagome blinked. "Oh," she said, her lush mouth forming the shape of a small "o". Hungered eyes traversed the ridged surface of her lips, a sudden yearning to taste them passing absently through his mind. He noticed a small blush tinting her cheeks and he suddenly realized with a start that he had been staring again. He quickly pulled himself back together mentally, silently cursing himself for the unacceptable lack of control. 

With a strength he didn't know he possessed at that moment, he tore his eyes away from her pink-tinged face and focused back on the road outside the window, willing himself to relax. After a few moments, he heard her clear her throat softly, followed by the rustling sound of her clothes. The car soon resumed its path up the hill. 

The next few moments in the car was met with a not uncomfortable silence. Sesshoumaru willed himself to not think of anything, especially the vivacious young women seated next to him in the driver's seat. It would not do for him, the wealthiest man in Japan, to be undone by a mere female in front of his servants, no matter who she was. 

Her startled gasp brought him sharply out of his train of thoughts. He turned back to her only to find her eyes wide once more, staring awe struck out the front window. Following the path of her gaze, he realized that they had at last reached the main house. 

Sesshoumaru quietly smiled in satisfaction; he had been hoping she'd like it. His eyes traced over the finely-detailed lines of his ancestral house. Okay, so maybe it wasn't exactly a "house" per se, but that was how he viewed it. In truth, the large building was classified as an extremely large mansion, its living area measured at more than twenty-thousand square feet and four stories high, complete with a bottom cellar located in the bowels of the ancient home. 

In front of the house stood a large fountain, partially shaded from the coming midday sun by a few more sakura trees. Wrapping the circumference of the fountain, resting beneath the overhanging boughs of pink and white petals, sat a stone bench atop a soft bed of green, which stretched outwards from the circular fountain to the large paved driveway that surrounded it. 

The fountain itself was constructed of the purest white marble, the millions of tiny crystals embedded in the rock catching the rays of the day's shifting sun, creating a shimmering illusion through the trees to the passing car. The actual figure was that of an enormous dog, standing stately atop a cliff's peak, elongated snout poised to the heavens above as if caught in the act of howling. But instead of sound, only a stream of water poured from the mighty throat, arching up and into the larger basin below it. Huge masses of fur surrounding the thick neck, legs and tail fanned out from the enormous frame like giant flames. 

Sesshoumaru glanced over at the fountain as they passed. He had spent a great many hours reading by that fountain as a young boy. The figure was actually a three-dimensional representation of their family crest, and it was as old as the family estate itself. 

The house had been erected sometime during the fifteenth century, when his ancestors carved out their existence during the days of the samurai, mercilessly raising their status to that of a daimyou. Its outer walls still reflected the original design, with it's curving roofs, sweeping porches and dark wooden posts. But it was not always so large. Through the centuries, countless generations of Inukai's both rebuilt and renovated various sections of the home, especially during the savage feudal era, where once the entire estate had burned down due to war with a rival clan of the East. Now, the structure stood restored, untarnished and expanded upon, a giant compared to the original structure he had seen in various paintings kept in his family's archive. Once, this house had been meager, composed of less than one-thousand square feet. Now, it stood on the family grounds resembling a miniature replica of the great palace of Nagoya. 

It had been his own father, Kanemaru Inukai, who had offered the final expansion of the ancestral home to its present size. With the booming economy and his hard-earned businesses, he had leveraged his finances to renovate the ailing structure, restoring it to its former glory, and in the process added on another ten-thousand square feet. 

The car finally pulled up to the front of the house, and two of his servants rushed down the front steps to greet them, holding the doors open on either side of the car. He turned to Kagome, whose slack jaw was hanging open slightly. She must not be used to this, he reasoned. 

"Kagome," he said, vying for her attention away from his house and servants. He was acknowledged when her head turned to face him, her doey eyes holding a light of fascination in them. He cleared his throat; no need for his mind to go wandering yet again that day. 

"Would you care for a tour of my estate?" he asked gently. 

Much to his chagrin, the fates intervened. The loud blaring of a cell phone went off, startling the both of them. Kagome gave him a weak smile as she pulled the offending object from her jacket pocket and flipped it open. 

"Hello?" 

Sesshoumaru sighed, patiently waiting for her to finish her conversation with whomever it was on the other line. Her sudden gasp brought his eyes back to her, as she frantically pulled her sleeve up and looked at the tiny watch on her wrist. She tossed out a few more meaningless words and hung up. 

"Uh, Sesshoumaru?" she started, looking a bit sheepishly at him. 

He simply nodded to her, silently commanding her to continue. 

"I have an appointment with my mom that I totally forgot about this afternoon. Is it okay if I take a raincheck?" 

Sesshoumaru tried not to show his disappointment. Yet again, the angel evades his efforts. Instead, he simply nodded again. 

"That will be fine," he said, then remembered a forgotten detail of this morning. "When shall I have someone come for you tomorrow evening?" 

Kagome stared back at him with a blank look on her face. Apparently she had forgotten. 

"The benefit tomorrow," he reminded, hoping to jog her memory. 

Remembrance flooded her eyes, and her lips curled into a dazzling smile as she no doubt attempted to hide her momentary lapse of absentmindedness. He knew that she would often relapse; it was just one of the many things about her that he admired, although it did prove quite irritating at times. 

"Oh yeah, huh?" she said, absently rubbing the back of her head, a slight blush of embarrassment crowning the tips of her cheeks. She just looked even more divine, he thought, watching the entire process. "Well, I can be ready by seven." 

Sesshoumaru nodded his acceptance of her answer, and without another word, he exited the car. Nodding quickly to the two servants, he made his way to the top of the steps, pausing only once to watch her car make the roundabout and disappear beneath the crest. He sighed, thinking about everything that he had yet to do for the benefit the next night. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

**A/N:**   
Okay, I know this sucks being so short and all. I wanted to make this chapter a lot longer and more in-depth, but then I had to go and have a brainfart this weekend. Too many things are happening in my personal life, so I thought that I would at least put this up for the time being. I may add to it, then again, maybe I'll just make the addition the next chapter. 

**Kane** tribute, warrior; the doubly-accomplished, golden; man, the eastern sky; beautiful.   
**Maru** doesn't really mean anything; it's just a common male suffix.   
**Inukai** I simply took the word Inuyoukai and shortened it. The reason I did this was to symbolize the legacy of their family name, despite the observation in the story is that there are no actual youkais, and that the guys are just normal humans, albeit with strange physical traits. I wanted to keep some semblance of the anime tied into my story. Besides, I just thought it sounded cute::meep: 


	4. Part 04

**Courtship Blues**   
An alternate fanwork by Wolfye Productions. 

_Hey guys, thanks for putting up with my silly filler chapter. It means a lot to me that you all read it. I've just noticed that I'm not that good with character dialogue whilst I was in the midst of writing this next chapter. Odd, that. Well, anyways. I wanted to thank everyone for reviewing me once again, and I'd like to be able to respond to everyone's reviews without taking up much needed fanfic space. (Plus I don't think FFnet likes people doing that anyway). So I setup a blog for that specific purpose, as well as give some updates and stuff on my fanfics in progress. I also add some silly stuff here and there, and maybe later I may start posting sneak previews of my chapters in progress before they're published to stem the saliva drools (or maybe to start them, teehee). The link to the blog is linked in my profile, so look there for it. _

This chapter is brought to you by the dying copy machine at my workplace and lots of XS™ Energy and Sports Nutrition drinks. And without further ado, the fic! 

I don't own any of the characters that you're familiar with, but the ones you don't know are mine (wahaha...). Thanks for reading! 

- † -

**Part 04:**

"Welcome home Sir," a man standing just inside the front doors said, bowing low. "Shall I have breakfast prepared for you?" 

Sesshoumaru looked over at Tetsuya as he took off his jacket and handed it to one of his servants, who quickly scuffled up the stairs with it. The man was dressed in pleated black slacks and a red button-down shirt. No tie today, he observed. Tetsuya really disliked wearing the fabric nooses, and took every possible opportunity to avoid doing so. His shoulder-length dirt brown hair was neatly combed back and tied to the nape of his neck with a simple black band. A few rebellious locks defied capture at the crown of his head and fell haphazardly across his forehead, framing his light brown eyes. All in all, the man was suitably dressed in compliance with Sesshoumaru's strict dress code; sans tie, of course. 

Tetsuya was in his early thirties, not more than four years his senior, and had been employed as his personal assistant for the past five. The man was extremely adept at performing his job; no detail was ever overlooked. Since he had hired the man, the overall productivity of his operations had more than doubled, which pleased him greatly. It was so hard to find good help these days, and Tetsuya was as steadfast and loyal as they came. 

"That will not be necessary, Tetsuya," Sesshoumaru intoned. "What news have you for me?" The two began walking to his office, located towards the back of the house on the first floor. 

"I should first inform you, Sir, that you have -" Tetsuya began, but was suddenly cut off by a high-pitched squeal. 

"Sesshy!" 

Sesshoumaru glanced up in the direction of the shout that left him nearly deaf, only to see a young woman with soft black curls and flowing white dress, and way too much make-up on, barrelling down one of the staircases towards him. He inwardly groaned, bringing one hand up to massage the oncoming headache at his temples. He definitely did not need this right now. Behind the girl, Akito stood at the top of the staircase smirking down at him. Sesshoumaru glared ruthlessly at the other men as he braced himself for the impending impact. Akito's smile broadened. 

As expected, the over-zealous female ran full-tilt into him, wrapping the gangly tentacles she called arms tightly around his neck. The acrid smell of cheap perfume hit his sensitive nose like a mack truck, making him gag. Her arms suddenly tightened even more around him, successfully choking off his much-needed air supply. Dark spots began to fill his vision, and he could feel the bile rising in his throat. 

He swiftly reached up and pried her arms from around his neck, shoving her none-too-gently from his person. He held her out at arm's length, unwilling to release her just yet for fear that she would attempt to glomp him a second time. Great, now he reeked of her disgusting scent. He would need to take another shower now before getting to work. 

"I assume this is what you were about to warm me of," Sesshoumaru said to his assistant, his eyes never leaving the woman he was holding. The infuriating creature batted her fake eyelashes at him, earning a look of utter disgust from him. 

"Yes Sir," Tetsuya replied. 

"Oh Sesshy! How can you be so mean?" the woman whined in her annoying high-pitched voice, squirming futilely within his iron grip. "I've missed you!" 

"Sayako," Sesshoumaru commanded in a harsh tone, silently willing her to shut up. His headache was getting worse by the minute. 

Sayako Souma. The woman was like a human leech, and one of the many banes of his existence. Elder sister to Akito, she was a year older than the both of them, and the eldest child in the Souma family. Ever since she had hit the age of puberty, Sayako had become completely obsessed with him, no doubt drawn to him by his ethereal good looks and massive family fortune. After all, the woman was known to be a ruthless fortune hunter. She was drawn to money like a moth drawn to a flame. 

Sayako had a string of rich lovers tainting her past, each and every one of them young and naive to a fault, unsuspecting of her true nature. The woman was cutthroat and cruel, convincing the poor men into grandeurs of their love together so they would buy her expensive gifts. Cars, clothes, jewelry; even extensive trips to exotic locales around the world. But whenever the subject of marriage would come up, the heartless woman would immediately forsake her lover in favour of another she had managed to ensnare within her web of deceit. 

And yet, throughout all of her relationships, she continued to hound him unrelentingly, devising all manner of ways to get him to go out with her. To her, Sesshoumaru Inukai was the ultimate prize, and that thought alone enraged him to no end. He was not some trophy to be had. He was the owner of one of the largest multi-conglomerates in the world, rivalling both Microsoft™ and Sony Distributions™. He just happened to be half the age of the presidents of either company, and a million-and-a-half times better looking than the other two combined. 

When the woman finally ceased with her obnoxious tirade, Sesshoumaru let go of her, his hands now feeling soiled from having had to touch her. He took out his handkerchief and idly wiped his hands on it, as if that would help get the dirt he felt off. He grimaced; he really needed a shower now. 

"What are you doing here?" he bit out, giving the woman a hearty glare. She seemed unfazed by it, he noted with some disappointment. 

"We're here for the benefit tomorrow night," Sayako whined, her overly-caked face contorting into an unattractive pout. "Don't tell me you forgot I was invited." 

Invited? Sesshoumaru blinked. He never invited that disgusting woman to anything. Unless... It was now Akito's turn to receive one of his infamous "doom" glares. The man just gave him a cheesy grin in return, confirming his thoughts. Why, that little bastard! He knew how much he hated his older sister! The fingers on his right hand twitched, wanting more than anything at that moment to wrap themselves around the delicate throat of his long-time friend. 

Sesshoumaru quickly composed himself, reigning in his anger for the time being. He was nothing if not a master of self-control, and right now, he had more pressing matters to attend to. Like taking a hot shower to rid himself of that whore's nauseating stench. 

"Tetsuya," he barked. 

"Yes Sir." The man in question immediately straightened and bowed his head. 

"Escort Miss Souma to the family room and see to her needs. I will be down shortly after I have freshened up." 

Tetsuya bowed obediently before grabbing a protesting Sayako by the arm and hauling her off towards the back of the house. Sesshoumaru watched her go with some distaste, doing his absolute best to ignore her vulgar comments about "helping" him in the shower. Filthy whore. A muffled laugh caught his attention, and he looked up to see Akito gripping the bannister while covering his mouth in a very feminine gesture, his sides quaking. 

Sesshoumaru gracefully stalked up the stairs to where his friend was doubled over the railing laughing. Akito had some explaining to do. Without a word, he gripped the other man by the back of his shirt collar and dragged him down the long hallway in the direction of his bedroom. Once inside, he made sure to securely lock his door just in case Sayako managed to somehow evade Tetsuya's ever watchful gaze. The man was extremely good, but Sayako had an almost ninja-like ability to disappear at will. 

He stood there for a moment as he collected his thoughts, fists curling and uncurling repeatedly in a frustrated manner. Akito just stood there with a feigned innocent look on his face, giggling softly to himself. Giggling; yet another highly feminine trait his friend practiced. Sometimes, he wondered about his friend's masculinity, despite the staggering number of females the man bedded with on a consistent basis. 

Sesshoumaru let out a frustrated sigh and walked over to his closet, which happened to be the size of a very large bedroom. The walls were painted in a light taupe colour, which aesthetically accented the honeyed wood of his wardrobe racks and drawers. A large picture window graced the eastern wall of the room, and gave breathtaking views of the rolling green landscape of his estate. In the middle of the large room was a sitting area, complete with two identical loveseats and two complementing high-backed chairs. All were of a very simple design; Sesshoumaru appreciated simplicity in his décor. 

The centerpiece of the room was one of antiquity, an old rug he had found years ago while visiting an old abandoned family shrine that had been condemned by the city to the wrecking ball to make way for modernization. He had gone with his father and InuYasha to see if there was anything left of value before the city tore it down. 

It had been in the farthest back room of the old shrine where he had found this treasure, rolled up and stuffed away in a dark and dusty corner, long forgotten. The rug had appeared to be centuries old, and he remembered being very surprised that it was still in good condition, despite how old it must have been. Nevertheless, he had it immediately restored upon returning home, and had it placed in his massive closet where he could enjoy looking at it during his morning teas. 

The rug was a deep red colour, contrasting beautifully with the rich cream colour of his carpet and furniture, and made of some of the most exquisite materials he had ever seen in his life. It was as soft and luxurious as the finest spun silk, yet as thick and sturdy as the hardiest wool. To this day he could not fathom such a material existing in ancient times without industrial modernization; and yet there was no fabric today that could even compare to this ancient relic. 

The border of the piece was inlaid in gold and silver thread, which he suspected were real; delicate tendrils weaving in and around each other in an intricate design. In the middle of the rug were two figures facing each other, outlined stark against the dark background. The one on the left was a massive furry dog with its head bowed and slightly turned, facing front. The dog was twice the height of the other figure, and not unlike the creature that graced the fountain outside his home in appearance; except this figure sported twin stripes along its jaw and a crescent moon atop its forehead. The figure on the right was a female of extraordinary beauty, a face unsurpassed by the fake plastic women of today, her wild ebony hair fanning out behind her. She was dressed in the garbs of one of those ancient priestesses of legend, a miko. 

The details of the images were incredible, and one could actually depict the look of calmness and serenity adorning the face of the miko as she gazed upon her partner. Her right hand was raised, resting lovingly upon the snout of the giant dog. One would have to be blind to not see the love and compassion the two creatures had for each other, their intimacy captured for all eternity on this one piece of cloth. Above the two lovers hung a silver moon in its fullest phase, another symbol that was present in his family crest. 

It had been the dog and the moon that had alerted him to the observation that the rug was a family heirloom; but who was the female that was also depicted here? He had spent countless days and nights studying her face, wondering who she was and how she was related to his family. None of his relatives had any clue as to her identity; even his own father, a man wrapped deeply within his family's history, had been at a loss as to who she was. He had spent hours combing his family's archives, searching; but never once was a miko ever mentioned in the multitude of ancient tomes. 

All of his dead ends frustrated him. He knew that the rug represented a missing part of his family legacy, a part that had somehow gotten erased through the centuries. But he was clueless as to where to go or what to do to find out what it was. Who she was. 

A sudden realization hit him as he stared down at the female figure, golden eyes meticulously scrutinizing her features as he did everyday. Why hadn't he noticed it before? He inwardly berated himself for his acute lack of observation for something so obvious. 

"What's wrong Sesshy?" Akito inquired, having had followed his friend into his closet. He studied the man's shocked face, then followed his gaze to the old rug on the floor. He had no idea what he was looking at, but he was glad that the man's anger towards him was diverted for the moment. 

He hated it whenever Sesshoumaru would "play" the Spanish Inquisition with him. The man had a really freaky pair of eyes. Not only were they abnormal in colour to begin with, but he also had a penetrating stare to go along with it. When he stared at you, it felt as though he could read your most sacred and intimate thoughts. This was, without doubt, a trait he had inherited from his father, who had used "the stare" most effectively in his various business dealings. No one would dare to even think twice about double-crossing Kanemaru Inukai. Being a grand master in the art of kendo probably helped in that aspect too. 

His eldest son was no different; but whereas his father had excelled in the art of negotiation, Sesshoumaru's area of expertise was in the art of interrogation. And he was a third degree black belt in the art of kendo to boot. Only a fool would dare to think of challenging the Inukai family. That is, unless death was their sole wish in life. 

Okay, now he was getting impatient. The man still hadn't said anything. He knew Sesshoumaru was a man of few words, but this was ridiculous. 

"Sesshoumaru," Akito said loudly, using the man's full name, something he rarely ever did. He preferred calling his friend by his childhood nickname because he knew it annoyed the hell out of him. He finally got a response when the man blinked, but he didn't turn to look at him. He just continued to stare at the rug. That was another thing that irked him, Akito idly thought. The man liked to take his time blinking. That couldn't possibly be healthy. 

"She looks like Kagome," Sesshoumaru said softly, his deep voice barely above a whisper. 

Akito's eyes wandered back down to the ancient rug, curious as to what he was talking about. Like Kagome? He had only seen the little vixen once before when he had helped the two brothers during the casting call for their show. But one look was all it took to get that sexy bird emblazoned forever into one's memory banks. Kagome had the most beautiful face he had ever seen, and the fact that she barely wore any make-up at all to enhance her features made her even more appealing to the opposite sex. Not to mention she had a body that wouldn't quit. It was a no-brainer to see why Sesshoumaru, the guy who never once before bothered himself with the affairs of females, was so hooked on her. What he couldn't understand was why his friend was so hesitant with pursuing her. It wasn't like he was a stranger to women. The man had dated dozens of women before, so why was Kagome any different? He shook his head; he just couldn't figure it out. 

Akito studied the figure in the rug carefully, smoky eyes taking in the delicate features - the warm smile on the pouty upturned lips, the wild black mane and serene chocolate eyes. It was now his turn to blink. The similarities were amazing, almost impossible. It actually looked like someone had dressed Kagome up in a priestess outfit, taken a picture of her, and glued it onto the rug. This was way beyond bizarre. 

"Um, how old did you say this was?" Akito asked, bewildered. 

"I had it dated to sometime during the sixteenth century," Sesshoumaru said, still silently cursing himself for his negligence over the past few months. "The historians could not pinpoint a more exact date, but it is suspected that it was created sometime during the beginnings of our house." 

Akito blinked at first, then nodded his understanding of what his friend had just said. He was talking about his family, not the building. Sometimes, he found it difficult understanding the guy, especially when they were younger. 

Sesshoumaru had adored and respected his father when he was alive, despite his extremely strict upbringing. Kanemaru had been a stickler for proper manners and speech with his first-borne son, most especially since the boy was to inherit an empire. And Sesshoumaru had always wanted nothing more than to be just like his great father, if not more so. 

Akito smiled in spite of himself, his mind recalling memories of their childhood. Despite the man's ruthlessness in the office, Kanemaru had truly been a gentle giant at home. The elder Inukai had loved his sons dearly, and had been a loving husband to his wife, Izayoi, InuYasha's mother. He had also been a great friend and uncle to his own family, and Akito had always had the highest possible respect for the man. 

Akito had no memories of Sesshoumaru's mother, however, his friend's father having had divorced the woman when he and Sesshoumaru were only two years of age. According to the staff of the estate, the woman, Ayako, had been a very proud and vain woman, and had only married Kanemaru for his money and social standing. She had never cared for the welfare of her own son, and that had been a trait Kanemaru could not tolerate. A little over a year later, he had met and married the love of his life, Izayoi, who had been the youngest daughter of an ambassador to America. The woman had taken an instant liking to the reserved child of her new husband, and had wholeheartedly taken over the role of a loving mother to the young boy. Nine months later, InuYasha had been borne. 

As the years passed by, Sesshoumaru had never bothered seeking out his biological mother, like most abandoned children tended to do when older. Akito liked to think it was because his friend had already found his mother while growing up. 

"Why are you smiling?" 

Sesshoumaru's deep voice immediately snapped him out of his reverie. Turning slightly to look at the other man, he found Sesshoumaru staring at him suspiciously through narrowed slits. An icy shiver ran up and down his spine at the penetrating gaze, and his body involuntarily shuddered in response. Yup, he really hated that man's eyes. His happy mood was quickly replaced by the feeling that he was being hunted. The age-old instinct of fight or flight briefly crossed his mind, and he shook his head violently trying to clear it, meanwhile his hands came up in a pacifying motion. 

"Uh, nothing Sesshy," Akito said, a weak smile adorning his face as he took a step back. "Absolutely nothing." 

"Mmhm..." Sesshoumaru replied, accepting his friend's statement for the time being. Akito had better not be thinking lecherous thoughts about Kagome again. Honestly, the man made Miroku in the show look like strawberry shortcake. Now that he thought about it, he idly wondered if that was where InuYasha had gotten the idea for the character in the first place. 

He walked over and began rummaging through his multitude of racks looking for something suitable to wear, while Akito made himself comfortable on one of the loveseats. He finally settled on a pair of charcoal grey slacks and a royal navy blue button-down shirt. He made sure to grab a change of undergarments before sitting down across from his friend. 

Uh oh, Akito thought, here it comes. He did the mental equivalent of sitting up straight and squaring his shoulders, although physically he remained slumped across the back of the sofa. Hey, it's the thought that counts, right? 

"Whatever possessed you to invite her?" Sesshoumaru asked, his golden eyes piercing into Akito's greys. 

"Hehe," Akito said weakly, quickly averting his gaze. Now all I need is a spotlight, he thought sarcastically. He sighed, feeling really drained all of sudden. 

"She came home unexpectedly last night and overheard Sachiko and Yuriko talking about the benefit," Akito said, his bony shoulders slumping in defeat. "When I got home, she attacked me and put me in a headlock until I told her she could come too. My neck's still sore," he added, rubbing a hand absently along the back of his neck. 

Sesshoumaru carefully studied Akito's face, dully noticing the look of utter defeat in the man's eyes. So, the wench had forced her brother to consent, had she? Then that would mean she would try to find a way to get him to be her escort to the event, and there was no way in the seven hells he would ever consent to that. Fortunately this time, like every other time she would try something, he had a way out. But this time, unlike the others, his way out would be much more pleasurable. A sexy smile graced his lips when an image of his angel floated across his inner mind. 

"Sesshy, you're freaking me out," Akito said, ruining Sesshoumaru's blissful reprieve. Akito leaned forward on the sofa, his elbows resting atop his knees. 

"You know what Sayako's gonna try to do, right?" 

Sesshoumaru waved his hand dismissively and got up, heading for the bathroom on the other side of his room. 

"Of course I know," he replied, "but it is of little consequence." 

Akito stared suspiciously at his friend's retreating back. Something wasn't right about Sesshoumaru. Normally, the guy would be pacing back and forth, trying to strategize his way out of whatever schemes his sister might attempt. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Akito called after him, getting up and crossing the huge bedroom towards the bathroom. "Aren't we supposed to be planning how to get you out of becoming Sayako's date for tomorrow night? How is it 'of little consequence'?" he added, imitating Sesshoumaru's arrogant tone. 

Sesshoumaru never broke his long strides across the room, not even bothering to look back as he spoke over his shoulder to the man behind him. "The wench will not succeed in her attempts this time. This Sesshoumaru already has a date," he said, his lips pulling back into a gleeful smirk that Akito could not see. 

"...with Kagome." 

Akito stopped abruptly in his tracks, pure shock written all over his face. He stared, uncomprehendingly, as Sesshoumaru vanished within the massive confines of the marble-encased room, his words not quite registering in his over-loaded brain. 

That is, until the meaning of the words hit him with the full force of an eighteen-wheeler big rig. His slack jaw dropped open in disbelief as his gun metal-coloured eyes threatened to pop out of their sockets. 

A lone shriek pierced through the ensuing silence that had settled over the bedding chambers like a heavy fog. 

"WHAT!"

* * *

**A/N:**   
And so the chapter is complete, and the story progresses. So, who do you think that miko is? And why does she look identical to Kagome? Why isn't she mentioned in the history books? Ah yes, the plot thickens. 

I hope everyone's enjoying the ride so far. This plot just keeps twisting more and more as I write, and it's getting exciting with all of the possibilities laying at my doorstep. Oh yeah, how'd you like my description of the rug? Can everyone actually see it? It's going to be an integral part of this story, linking past with present. I wonder if anyone could take a crack at drawing it for me? I've become terrible at drawing over the years, but I would if I could. I used to create countless fanarts to go along with my stories, but those days are now in the past. 

Anyways, please review, and I'll be posting replies up in my blog as I receive them. Thanks for sticking around! 


	5. Part 05

**Courtship Blues**   
An alternate fanwork by Wolfye Productions. 

_I must severely apologize for taking so long to come out with this chapter. It was not my intention at all to take two whole months; really. But for some reason I got stuck in a rut on this one, and so I've decided to cut it short and place the benefit for the next chapter instead. I also apologize for this being short; think of this one as a little filler chapter. Plus, we finally get to see a glimpse of an evil Aki, and as I know that many of you are fans of this new version I have created of him, I hope you like him. Without further ado, please read on!_

I don't own any of the characters that you're familiar with, but the ones you don't know are mine (wahaha...). Thanks for reading! 

- † -

**Part :05**

Sesshoumaru leaned back in his high-backed leather armchair, dark amber eyes gazing languidly into the blazing fire in his study. He watched as the little flames danced about within their brick entrapment, the combined heat from the fire and his tea making him drowsy. It had been a long day. 

Across from him sat Akito in the other matching armchair, slowly sipping away on a glass of red wine. The man had been sulking away all afternoon since he had refused to elaborate on his comment earlier that day. Now, his friend just sat there going over the script for his next episode. Sesshoumaru half-expected him to start belting out his lines for practice, as he was wont to do. But tonight, he remained as silent as ever, a clear sign that something was amiss. Akito was anything but quiet. 

Sesshoumaru took another sip of his tea, a delicious blend of jasmine and chrysanthemum petals. This particular blend was his most favourite, and he enjoyed it most especially after meals. It was such a shame, really, that he always had to special-order it wherever he went. Truly, something this wonderful should surely be more popular. 

He gave a mental sigh as he felt the luxurious heat from the tea slip smoothly down his esophagus to pool in his stomach, the journey completely warming him from head to toe. Soon it would be time for bed. Yes, not only did the tea have amazing digestive properties, but it also acted as a most wondrous sedative. He could already feel his body relaxing under its influence, and he had as of yet only taken a few sips. 

Ah, he sighed to himself, a most magical tea indeed. 

A short laugh brought his wandering attention back to Akito. Briefly, he wondered why the man was still here. Surely he was more than capable to do his reading at his own home. Didn't his younger sisters require his presence at night, especially with their parents being out of town? 

Sayako had left shortly after dinner, but only after several attempts by him at convincing her that he really didn't need her "help" getting ready for bed that night. And even then, she had left in a rush of feigned tears, all the while bemoaning about how cold and heartless he was. So what else was new? 

He took another quick sip of his tea, hoping to calm himself down again. That woman could literally drive him insane. 

He had no idea why his father had granted that family free access to the estate, but he had. And there was no way that he could retract the offer of hospitality without tarnishing his father's good name, not to mention the lucrative business partnership his company had with the Souma's, no matter how much he wanted to. Most especially since that incident three years ago when he had returned home after a long and weary day, only to find a very naked and very drunk Sayako draped across his bedspread. 

To say that he had been disturbed at the sight would have been an understatement. He had been outright enraged. Since then, he had had a lock installed on the door to his bedroom to deter from a similar situation ever happening again. 

"So, are you ever going to tell me how you landed Kagome?" Akito suddenly asked, putting his script aside for the night. 

Sesshoumaru frowned over the rim of his ceramic teacup. 

"You make it sound as though she were an airplane." 

Akito rolled his eyes, taking a long sip of his wine. The silky liquid swirled over his tongue, and he savoured the taste of it. It was perfectly aged, and one of his favourites to indulge in whenever he had dinner here, the wine being neither bitter nor possessing the harsh alcoholic bite that most premature reds contained. 

He was really lucky to be friends with the Inukai family, and he knew it. Of all the different companies that they took to investing in, a few of them were award-winning vineyards from around the globe. Okay, so he just happened to be a lush; so what? He kind of deserved the small luxury after having put up with Sesshoumaru for all of these years. 

Okay, so maybe he was being a bit overly dramatic with that last bit. He quickly blamed the alcohol in his system for that last comment. 

"You know that's not what I meant," he quickly retorted. "Quit being so literal about everything." 

"Ah, but it vexes you so," Sesshoumaru quipped back in his smooth velvety tones, suddenly ready for an intellectual spar. Too bad his chosen combatant wasn't in an agreeable mood. He sighed heavily, resigning himself finally to that which he couldn't evade forever. 

"We had gone out to breakfast this morning after the shoot," he explained. "That was when I had asked her to the benefit tomorrow night." 

Akito gave a low whistle. "So, you went out on a date this morning? Why didn't you call me?" he whined, doing his best to imitate Sayako just to annoy the man for holding out on him. It worked. 

Sesshoumaru's expression contorted into one of disgust and he gave a low snort. "You are not my keeper," he said, glaring at the man sitting smugly on the other side of the fireplace. 

Akito felt a shudder go up and down his spine despite the warmth in the room. Gods, that look was effective. Too effective. Maybe he should try squirting something in the guy's eyes someday. Then again, he thought as his eyes roved over the tensed muscles in Sesshoumaru's arms, maybe that wouldn't be such a good idea. An image of himself decapitated at the angered hands of his best friend flashed across his vision at the thought. Nope, definitely not a good idea. 

"Yeah, well..." Akito lamely replied, shrugging his shoulders at the other man. He leaned a bit forward in his seat, his face turning uncharacteristically serious. 

"So," he started, doing his best to keep a level head. He had had nearly half a bottle of wine already, after all. By himself, too. Nope, not a lush, his brain hazily supplied. "What do you want to do about my sister? She might try to sabotage tomorrow night once Kagome shows up, y'know. Oh yeah, are you going to be picking her up?" 

Sesshoumaru gave a slight shake of his head. "I have arranged for Haru to pick her up," he supplied. "Apparently, the two know each other from high school." 

Akito's interest piqued. "Oh really?" he asked, his alcohol-laden eyes suddenly lightening up with a mischievous spark. "Any juicy gossip about our beloved vixen?" 

Sesshoumaru gave his friend an annoyed look. 

"Aki, you know very well that this Sesshoumaru des not partake of such trivial and menial things," he scoffed in as dignified a manner as possible. 

Akito rolled his eyes in a dramatic fashion as he stood up to stretch his long legs. 

"Oh please, give me a break," he retorted, looking down at the silver-haired male. "Let me guess, you haven't got the balls to ask," he verbally jabbed. He smiled when Sesshoumaru took the bait. 

"I beg to differ," Sesshoumaru snorted in his ever-so-arrogant manner. "It was not I who was nicknamed 'PeeWee' during grade school," he quipped back. 

A scowl crossed over Akito's face as he plopped ungracefully back into the armchair. Damn, he had forgotten about that. He was never going to live that one down, and all because he had matured a little later than everyone else. The scowl soon passed and his features turned thoughtful. 

"What was yours again?" 

Sesshoumaru smirked evilly over the rim of his teacup. 

"Long John Silver," he replied. 

Akito smacked his palm unceremoniously against his forehead, chuckling. "I can't believe I forgot that one!" 

In truth, despite how it may have sounded, Sesshoumaru had not been nicknamed due to the size of his genitalia. Actually, no one had ever caught a glimpse of the man naked, as far as he knew; well, despite the women he bedded, of course, and they weren't talking. The man was surprisingly shy for someone of so much confidence and arrogance. Instead, the nickname was ironically derived from the man's insane love for sushi, of all things. 

Akito shook his head clear, miraculously bringing his sloshing mind back to the important topic at hand. 

"So," he started once again, putting his wine glass down on the antique end table next to him, "Are we going to do anything about my sister tomorrow, or what?" 

Sesshoumaru sat in silence for a moment, contemplating the various events that could occur on the morrow with the arrival of his angel. He felt a small smile grace his lips at his conclusion that nothing would happen to her as long as she remained by his side, and he would endeavour to make that happen. 

"It will be of no consequence," he told Akito, who stared back at him incredulously. No doubt, his friend's overactive imagination was running amuck with several distressing scenarios. "I will simply keep Kagome by my side throughout the night," he attempted to reassure the man. "You know as well as I that your sister would not attempt anything in my presence." 

Akito sat back in his chair for a moment, contemplating Sesshoumaru's words. It was true that Sayako never attempted anything devious right in front of the guy because she was afraid of Sesshoumaru losing his "good" opinion of her. He smirked. Yeah right, since when had he ever had a nice thought about his sister? Even he didn't like her, which was unfortunate since she just happened to be of blood relation to him. She had always made his life a living hell while growing up, and she totally neglected their two younger sisters, who were both angels, thank the gods. He didn't know what he would have done had they turned out like their eldest. 

"Well," he said, "I guess it's okay then. But I still think we should keep an eye on her anyway." 

"I agree," Sesshoumaru replied. 

"Hey," Akito said thoughtfully, "what if I tried hooking her up with somebody? That would probably keep her busy. She's in-between boyfriends right now, anyway." 

Sesshoumaru raised a delicate eyebrow at the simple statement. "You would subject one of your friends to such indescribable torture? Aki, I never knew you could be so cruel." A small smirk passed over his lips, indicating that he was jesting. 

Akito chucked at the insinuation, shaking his head. "Actually, I was thinking of Rosiel. You remember him? He just happens to be on the guest list for tomorrow night." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. 

Sesshoumaru gave a very ungentleman-like snort and rolled his eyes at the mentioned name. Yes, he remembered that idiot, more than he cared to. They had met the man at a premier the year before, where the fool had felt the need to boast to the media that he was the most beautiful man in Japan. To think, a rookie upstart galavanting such ridiculous notions! It was unheard of! Furthermore, to do so at his first premier where, not a week before, he had been a nameless nobody! 

But what had upset him the most in the weeks following was when the whelp had had the audacity to claim that he, Sesshoumaru Inukai, noted "Most Eligible Bachelor in all of Japan" and "Japan's Most Beautiful Man" for more than a decade, had copied his looks from him! He had nearly had the man extricated from the country if it had not been for Akito's intervention at the last possible moment. Somehow, the man had convinced him to simply let the insult slide, promising that they would be able to use the man at a later time to their own benefit. 

Sesshoumaru swallowed the remaining bits of his now lukewarm tea, silently marvelling at the depth of insight of his life-long best friend. Akito was the ace up the sleeve that any man in his position would kill for, and he didn't even have to pay him for it. Instead, all he needed to do to keep the man happy was to wine and dine him, and occasionally allow the man to tag along on one of his frequent business trips around the country and abroad. Now, if only he could persuade the man to wear some colour every once in awhile. 

Sesshoumaru placed the now empty ceramic cup onto the antique silver platter beside him, his fatigue from before now completely forgotten. He leaned forward in his chair, his elbows resting atop his knees, facial features automatically schooled into one of his more serious looks. 

"So Aki, what do you have in mind?" he inquired, his smooth voice piqued with curiosity. 

Akito smiled one of his triumphant smiles, the kind that would send a severe chill down your spine should you ever catch it. But Sesshoumaru, being who he was, was not affected in the least. Akito, too, leaned forward in his seat, mirroring his partner's posture. His white teeth glinted ominously in the dancing firelight of the room. 

"Here's what I was thinking," he began, his normally smoky eyes darkening to an almost obsidian shine. 

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

**A/N:**   
Thanks so much for all of the support and uplifting words from everyone who reviewed thus far! It means so much to me that everyone is loving this as much as I am having kicks just writing it. I would also like to thank whomever was so kind as to nominate my fic into 2 C2 communities on FFnet! I am SO honoured! You guys have made my day::squee: 

Now here's the question: I want a vote. With the characters described thus far, who do you like more in this fic? Sesshoumaru or Akito? Oh, and please give me your reasons why for choosing your fave. I love reading people's responses. I also respond to all of my reviews through my LiveJournal! If you'd like to read my reply, simply go to my author page and click on the link! Thanks so much again everyone! 


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